UK Culture Secretary Strikes Out Against Trashy Cartoons

British Culture Secretary Chris Smith was quoted in the LONDON SUNDAY EXPRESS as saying he will issue orders to U.K. TV regulators to cut back on "trashy cartoons" which have flooded the airwaves and replace them with "high-quality educational shows." Broadcasting Minister Janet Anderson told the newspaper, "The government shares parents' concerns that violent and unsuitable material is being broadcast in ever earlier slots." However, some U.K. officials may be uninformed about where the illicit animation is actually coming from. The newspaper quoted one senior government source as saying that Smith's policy is geared toward the "increasing number of cheap American imports, mainly cartoons and frequently involving product placement. The most obvious examples are TRANSFORMERS, POWER RANGERS and POKEMON." It's kind of funny that these "trashy" Japanese cartoons are the same ones Americans gripe about all the time.